Replacement surface for bathtub and shower floor

ABSTRACT

A replacement surface for bathtub and shower floors comprising a liner covering substantially the entire bottom interior surface of the bathtub or shower with a peripheral relief allowing access to a drain and conforming surface irregularities of the bottom interior surface to present a top surface with a relatively smooth contour, and a self-curing, waterproof adhesive layer which envelops and seals any cracks on the bottom interior surface and promotes an intimate bond between the liner and the bottom interior surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)

The present invention relates to a replacement surface for bathtub andshower floors.

2. Background Art

A number of different approaches have been taken to alter the aestheticappearance or to repair defects in the floor of a bathtub or shower. Thecommon theme found in the existing art is a large capital investment inequipment or time to accomplish a successful renovation. Most of theexisting technology involves completely covering all of the existingbathtub or shower surfaces. This is accomplished in numerous manners,including molding, vacuum molding, and hand lay-up.

Molding and vacuum molding can involve large outlays in equipment toperform the processes involved in creating a new bathtub surface. Also,the hand lay-up of numerous plies of material and resin involve atremendous amount of labor and skill. Besides involving a large capitaloutlay, the present methods also provide a finished surface that issmooth, which becomes slippery when wet and soapy. Further, thesemethods generally provide thin, structurally weak coverage of theexisting bathtub or shower floor. Also, the material used in theseapplications are susceptible to mold, mildew and fungus.

Other present technology that does not seek to cover the entire bathtubor shower surface also has many of the same characteristics. By coveringonly a fraction of the bathtub floor, these methods lack aestheticappeal. For this same reason, there can be only minor improvements instructural stability. These methods produce a multi-level tub bottom,thus raising safety concerns. Finally, these methods use epoxies in thebonding process which are very brittle and tend to crack.

The present invention seeks to solve the deficiencies of the presenttechnologies by providing an inexpensive, quick to install, permanent,structurally enhanced yet resilient, aesthetically-pleasing andbiomedically sound replacement surface for a bathtub or shower floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises apparatuses and methods for areplacement surface for a bathtub or shower floor which improvesfunctionality and aesthetics. The invention comprises: providing amulti-layered liner covering substantially the entire bottom interiorsurface of a bathtub or shower; preparing the bottom interior surface ofthe bathtub or shower; applying an adhesive layer to the bottom surfaceof the liner; aligning the liner within the bottom interior surface;curing the adhesive layer; and finishing the exposed surfaces of thebottom interior surface and the liner.

In the preferred embodiment, the liner has a peripheral relief to allowaccess to a drain. The liner also conforms surface irregularities of thebottom interior surface to present a top surface not markedly affectedin contour by these surface irregularities. Also, the top surface of theliner comprises a non-skid texture while the bottom surface of the linercomprises a smooth surface. The uppermost layer of the liner hasbiomedically sound qualities, and is preferably resin with fiberglassrovings. The lowermost layer of the liner is preferably a resinfiberglass mixture.

Applying an adhesive layer to the bottom surface of the liner ispreferably accomplished by applying Weld-On No. 10. The adhesive layeris preferably waterproof and self-curing, and envelopes any cracks inthe interior bottom surface of the bathtub or shower. The adhesive layerhas non-brittle qualities.

Aligning the liner within the bottom interior surface of the bathtub orshower improves the aesthetic appeal of the replacement surface. Curingthe adhesive layer allows it to dry and promotes a strong bond betweenthe liner and the bottom interior surface of the bathtub or shower. Theresulting permanent bond enhances the structural stability of thebathtub or shower floor. Finishing the exposed bottom interior surfaceof the bathtub or shower and the exposed surfaces of the liner improvesthe aesthetics and functionality of the replacement surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a permanent replacementsurface for a bathtub or shower floor.

An advantage of the present invention is to inexpensively and quicklyenable the bottom interior surface of a bathtub or shower to bereplaced.

Another advantage of the present invention is the low cost of materialsand labor and the pleasantly appealing aesthetics.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a replacementsurface for a bathtub or shower floor which is biomedically sound andpromotes safety.

An advantage of the present invention is that the liner is made fromstock materials which resist mold, mildew, and fungus and which providea non-skid top surface.

Another object of the present invention is to enhance the structuralstability of the bathtub or shower floor.

Yet another object of the present invention is that the replacementsurface can be applied to many different bathtub or shower floorsurfaces, such as fiberglass, acrylic, porcelain, steel, and cement.

Other objects, advantages and novel features, and further scope ofapplicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in thedetailed description to follow, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, and in part will become apparent to those skilledin the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned bypractice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the inventionmay be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities andcombinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a partof the specification, illustrate the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention. The drawings are only for the purposes ofillustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not to beconstrued as limiting the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the preferred embodiment installed on a bathtub or showerfloor;

FIG. 2 depicts the preferred embodiment installed on a bathtub or showerfloor having cracks at cross section 1--1 from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment installed on a bathtub orshower floor having surface irregularities and undulations at crosssection 2--2 from FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a detailed cross section of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a detailed cross section of an alternate embodimentof the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Rest Modes for Carrying Outthe Invention)

The present invention is a replacement surface for bathtub and showerfloors comprising a liner covering substantially the entire bottominterior surface of the bathtub or shower which conforms to the surfaceirregularities of the bathtub or shower floor to present a top surfacehaving a relatively smooth contour, and a waterproof, self-curingadhesive for bonding and adhering the bottom surface of the liner to thetop surface of the bathtub or shower floor and sealing any cracks in thebathtub or shower floor.

For purposes of the specification and claims, the term "floor" includesthe bottom interior surface of a bathtub or shower. The term "surfaceirregularities" includes waves, undulations, and other flaws,imperfections, and defects of the bottom interior surface of the bathtubor shower. Also, the term "biomedically sound" includes a material thatresists mold, mildew, fungus, and may be approved for hospitalapplications.

The present invention has, among other objects, the ability to improvethe functionality of a bathtub or shower floor by sealing any cracksthat may exist in the floor and by conforming any irregularities andundulations to present a relatively smooth contour on the top surface ofthe liner. Also, the structural stability of the bathtub or shower flooris enhanced by the replacement surface. Further, the present inventionprovides a permanent, aesthetically pleasing replacement surface forbathtubs or showers. The bond between the liner and the interior bottomsurface of the bathtub or shower can withstand constant loading andunloading and still maintain an excellent bond due to its non-brittlequalities. Finally, the present invention provides a quick, easy, andinexpensive alternative for those consumers interested in replacingtheir bathtub or shower floor.

With reference to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention provides liner 30 for bottom interior surface or floor 20 ofbathtub 10. Liner 30 covers substantially the entire bottom interiorsurface 20, and includes peripheral relief 25 allowing access to drain15. FIG. 1 shows a typical bathtub arrangement wherein drain 15 is atthe upper end of the bathtub. For shower applications, the drain isusually in the center. Liner 30 is preferably disposed very near todrain 15 for aesthetic purposes. Drain 15 may be removed and replacedwith a matching color acrylic or fiberglass drain for aestheticpurposes. Liner 30 is generally rigid, but is flexible enough to conformto the slight curvatures found in most bathtubs and showers. Liner 30,in the drawings, is shown as a three-layer embodiment (two structurallayers 40 and 50 and one adhesive layer 60). One or more structurallayers may be utilized. The layers shown are not to scale and are forillustrative purposes only.

Liner 30 can be pre-formed to fit within the standard size bathtub andshower, or it can be individually fitted to any non-standard size.Individually fitting liner 30 involves drawing the bathtub floor 20 tomake a template. The template is then used as a guide to create, byrouting or other equivalent means, liner 30 from a blank sheet ofmaterial. Most preferably, the material liner 30 can be formed fromstock sheet of material. The preferred stock material is Structoglas®sanitary wall and ceiling panels made by Sequentia Incorporated. Thismaterial is a composite, with a textured top surface, likely made ofpolyester resin with fiberglass rovings, and a smooth molded bottomsurface, likely made of polyester resin and fiberglass. Another stockmaterial, useful in the present invention is a more expensive material,also made by Sequentia Incorporated, in which resin is shot into a mold,then resin with fiberglass is shot into the mold as a second layer.Another stock material useful is a rubberized plastic mylar materialmade by 3M, which has a non-skid surface. Other equivalent materials maybe used. The cost of liner 30 is reduced by using a stock material.Also, stock materials generally have more consistent properties, such asthickness, durability, contour, and surface finish.

Referring to FIG. 4, liner 30 comprises a composite larger or aplurality of layers. Uppermost layer 40 preferably comprises a polyesterresin with fiberglass rovings, while lowermost layer 50 preferablycomprises a polyester resin fiberglass mixture. The resin hasbiomedically sound qualities, such as resistance to mold, mildew, andfungus. Further, resin is approved for hospital applications and is verydurable, resulting in a long life for a permanent application such asthis. Fiberglass provides the best bond to adhesive layer 60 when usedin combination with the preferred adhesive, as discussed below. Otherequivalent materials may also be used. Preferably, the top surface ofliner 30, which is equivalent to the top surface of uppermost layer 40,has a non-skid texture. This texture is found on the stock material aspurchased, once again saving time and expense. The non-skid textureprovides a non-slippery surface to stand on when wet and soapy. Thishelps to promote a safer environment when taking a shower or bath. Thebottom surface of liner 30, which is equivalent to the bottom surface oflowermost layer 50, preferably has a relatively smooth surface. Thissmooth surface enables liner 30 to be placed on and maneuvered aboutanother surface with relative ease. Also, the smooth surface allowsadhesive layer 60 to be applied more easily with more consistentcoverage. All of this promotes a quick, easy, and inexpensiveinstallation.

Before adhering liner 30 to the floor of bathtub 10, bottom interiorsurface 20 of bathtub 10 is prepared by sanding or equivalent means ofsurface finishing and then cleaned to produce a dirt-free surface to aidin bonding liner 30 to bathtub floor 20. Liner 30 is cleaned to insure agood bond. Adhesive layer 60 is applied to the bottom surface of liner30, which also corresponds to the bottom surface of lowermost layer 50.In the preferred embodiment, adhesive layer 60 is disposed onsubstantially the entire bottom surface of liner 30. Equivalent resultsmay be obtained, however, when adhesive layer 60 covers less thansubstantially the entire bottom surface of liner 30. In an alternateembodiment, adhesive layer 60 covers only the middle section of thebottom surface of liner 30.

Liner 30 is then placed on bottom interior surface 20 of bathtub 10 andaligned such that it is spaced evenly within bottom interior surface 20.This improves the aesthetic appearance of liner 30. Pressure is thenapplied to liner 30 by standing on it, or any equivalent means ofapplying force to its top surface, in order to eliminate any air bubblesand to insure a smooth contour on the top surface of liner 30. Applyingpressure to the top surface of liner 30 also insures that the bottomsurface of liner 30, the adhesive layer 60, and the top surface ofbottom interior surface 20 are in intimate communication with eachother, thus creating a strong bond. Adhesive layer 60 is then given timeto cure, thus further promoting a strong bond between liner 30 andbottom interior surface 20 of bathtub 10. A cure time of 4 hours hasbeen found to be effective.

Preferably, adhesive layer 60 comprises a two part adhesive known asWeld-On No. 10, an acrylic resin/methyl methacrylate monomer, made byIPS Corporation of Gardena, Calif. This has been found to work best forthe combination of bathtub 10 made of fiberglass and lowermost layer 50of liner 30 made of fiberglass. However, other equivalent adhesives mayalso give similar results, such as silicone or a catalytic adhesive orepoxy. In alternate embodiments, such as where lowermost layer 50 ofliner 30 is made of acrylic, adhesive layer 60 of Weld-On No. 10 isuseful. Similarly, in second and third alternate embodiments of thepresent invention, bathtub 10 is made of porcelain or cast iron andadhesive layer 50 is two-sided adhesive, such as 3M Acrylic Tape. In afourth alternate embodiment, a bathtub 10 of concrete and adhesive layer50 of Weld-On No. 10 are used. Other similar combinations of bathtub 10,adhesive layer 50, and lowermost layer 50 of liner 30 may obtainequivalent results.

Once adhesive layer 60 is cured and is dry, bottom interior surface 20and liner 30 may be finished to blend together using anacrylic/polyester paint or other equivalent paint, thus insuringaesthetic appeal. Finishing may also involve applying caulking,silicone, or other equivalent material around the edges of liner 30 toblend it into bottom interior surface 20 and to improve the waterproofseal around its edges.

FIG. 2 shows the present invention in a primary application covering andsealing cracks 70 in bottom interior surface 20 of bathtub 10. Adhesivelayer 60 completely surrounds crack 70 in all directions. By thusenveloping crack 70, and because of the intimate bond between liner 30,adhesive layer 60, and bottom interior surface 20, crack 70 is notexposed to any water which may be in bathtub 10. Thus any leakageproblem will be solved. Further, adhesive layer 60 may fill or partiallyfill crack 70, producing the same results. Also, the combination ofadhesive layer 60 sealing off crack 70 and forming an intimate bondbetween the bottom surface of liner 30 and bottom interior surface 20,results in a structurally strengthened bathtub floor.

Referring to FIG. 3, the present invention is shown as applied to bottominterior surface 20 containing surface irregularities 80. Theseirregularities may take the form of waves, undulations, or any similardisruption of the surface contour of bottom interior surface 20. Liner30 bridges surface irregularities 80 and conforms them such that the topsurface of liner 30 presents a relatively smooth contour as compared tosurface irregularities 80. Similar to the discussion above regardingFIG. 2, this application enhances the functionality of bathtub 10. Liner30 presents a top surface with a smooth contour, thereby increasingsafety, structural stability, and aesthetic appeal of the replacementsurface.

FIG. 5 shows an alternate embodiment of the present invention. All ofthe above characteristics of the present invention also hold true forthis embodiment, the main difference being middle layer 90 in liner 30.Middle layer 90 comprised of a structural material, such as steel,structural fiberglass, or screen, helps to increase the structuralstability of the liner 30 and of the replacement surface. Otherequivalent materials may also be used.

Although the invention has been described in detail with particularreference to these preferred embodiments, other embodiments can achievethe same results. Variations and modifications of the present inventionwill be obvious to those skilled in the art and it is intended to coverin the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. Theentire disclosures of all references, applications, patents, andpublications cited above, and of the corresponding application(s), arehereby incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. A replacement surface for applying to an interiorbottom surface of a bathtub or shower and adapted to conform and sealundulations and defects in the bathtub or shower to present at the uppersurface of the replacement surface a substantially smooth contour,comprising:a liner comprising a plurality of resin-containing structurallayers; a lowermost layer of the plurality of layers serving to providea bottom surface for adhesion to the interior bottom surface of thebathtub or shower; an uppermost layer of the plurality of layers servingto provide a biomedically sound upper surface having a non-skid texture;and an adhesive layer disposed on a bottom surface of the lowermostlayer of the plurality of layers serving to adhere said liner to theinterior bottom surface of the bathtub or shower, said adhesive layercomprising a waterproof adhesive whereby any cracks in the interiorbottom surface of the bathtub or shower are enveloped and sealed.
 2. Areplacement surface as recited in claim 1, wherein the uppermost layerof the plurality of layers is resin with fiberglass rovings.
 3. Areplacement surface as recited in claim 1, wherein the lowermost layerof the plurality of layers is a resin and fiberglass mixture.
 4. Areplacement surface as recited in claim 1, wherein said adhesive layercomprises a self-curing adhesive.
 5. A replacement surface as recited inclaim 1, wherein said liner substantially covers the entire interiorbottom surface of the bathtub or shower.
 6. A replacement surface asrecited in claim 1, wherein said liner further comprises a peripheralrelief exposing a drain of the bathtub or shower.
 7. A replacementsurface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a middle layercomprising one of the materials selected from the group of materialsconsisting of steel, structural fiberglass or screen.